American Realism is the work of many talented writers that write about the real issues that people face each day. Mark Twain is one of these very talented writers. His writings deal with the problems people face, the solutions people chose, and their outcomes. The works of Twain and all of these other writers differ a lot from American Romantics, which are writings that deal with nature and their affect on humans.
The writings of Mark Twain differ from those of the American Romantics that we have read about. The American Romantics discussed more universally symbolic issues. They talked about how nature and pure love were the solutions to problems. They also showed how the roles of us as humans were affected by the nature and love in our world. Mark Twain wrote about different things however. He talked about the actual problems and issues that people of this time, and the past have to deal with. In Twains story’s “The Story of the Good Little Boy”, and “The Story of the Bad Little Boy”, Twain talks about how our lives are affected by the way we lead them. This is a real life issue and not just based on nature and love like the American Romantics.
Mark Twain often writes about real life issues. His theme in the stories “The Story of the Good Little Boy” and “They Story of the Bad Little Boy” was that we shouldn’t always try to be good and live good lives because that’s not always how good things happen to us. In “The Story of the Good Little Boy” Twain shows a model little boy who aspires to be in a Sunday school book because of his good doings. The ironic outcome of this story is that the good little boy ends up having unfortunate luck and dies in the end always trying to help people. What I believe Twain is trying to convey in this story is that you shouldn’t only do good deeds to be recognized for them. In contrast to this story Twain backs up this theme in “The Story of the Bad Little Boy”. This story was about a bad boy who actually leads a very full and lucky life. Good things happened to this boy all the time, and he was always doing bad things. The truth about the bad little boy was that even though he was being bad all the time, he did everything he did because it was what he believed in and did not see wrong in it. What this shows is that you shouldn’t focus so much on dong good of others and let it happen. All you can hope in life is to have good judgment and be a good person.
Mark Twain wrote these stories to any individual out there. I believe that any person can relate to the issue of “The Good Little Boy” and “The Bad Little Boy”. The reason why anyone can relate is because of the vast variety of life problems that Twain writes about. H writes about real issues that can reach out to people of any age or culture. He writes about real topics that help you learn life morals.
When I read the writings of Mark Twain I was able to relate to it as a person. No, my life is not all about walking around looking for bad boys and trying to help them, or their victims to be in a Sunday school book; And no, my life is also not all about being careless and living a life that may hurt others just because I do not see wrong in doing so. However, I try to live my life to its fullest and to set a fulfilling future for myself. Twain’s writings; “The Story of the Good Little Boy” and “They Story of the Bad Little Boy” helped show me that I should not try so hard to be good like the good little boy, but I need to try a little bit so I won’t become careless like the bad little boy.
Mark Twain caught my attention above other writers at first because I heard of him. His name is popular among works of Literature, but I never read any of his works. I am happy I did because his stories taught me valuable lessons that deal with the everyday life of any individual. “Nothing could hurt him. He even gave the elephant in the menagerie a plug of tobacco and the elephant didn’t knock the top of his head off with his trunk.” This is a small portion of Twain’s “The Story of the Bad Little Boy.” I chose to quote Twain here because it shows a perfect example of Twain’s theme. His lesson that he displays here is that this bad little boy did everything wrong and broke all the rules, but still ended up better than the good little boy in the previous story. This means that you shouldn’t try so hard to be good or bad but do what you feel is right and see what happens. This lesson along with the rest of Twain’s writings is a prime example of American Realism.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
writting enacting social change
Does writing have the power to enact social change?
Every day there is a point where we interact with texts and gather information. Some do it for research or current events; others even do it for pleasure. What we as individuals gather from the texts vary. Great writers have the power to convey messages to their readers. Some pieces of literature help us grow as people and that leads me to my point that writing does have the power to enact social change.
In political pieces that deal with current events and issues, there is a lot of information for the reader to take in. There are also a lot of lessons to learn from them. People can not only take the facts from the writings, but they can take social pointers from it. In “The Bombing of Bagdad” by June Jordan, She writes a lot of the tragic things that happened with the Bombing of Bagdad. She discusses the horrible tragedy that it turned into, but she also shows the way it affected people personally. In part of her poem she writes, ‘“We fired them into Iraq, and I am not pleased, I am not very pleased, none of this fits into my notion of "things going very well."’ She is trying to convey a point to the readers that firing and war is necessary in the rebuttal against an opposing force; however it makes her unhappy. In my opinion she is trying to say that war is not the answer. When people read this they should try to oppose violence in their lives and reject war.
“The Bombing of Bagdad” along with many other writings shows this tribute to non violence. It conveys the message to readers that fighting is not the answer to all problems, but unfortunately is the way we in life solve some problems. This poem also showed that history repeats itself because we repeat the same mistakes, and the mistakes may include this violence. This shows the way that writing has the power to enact social change.
Every day there is a point where we interact with texts and gather information. Some do it for research or current events; others even do it for pleasure. What we as individuals gather from the texts vary. Great writers have the power to convey messages to their readers. Some pieces of literature help us grow as people and that leads me to my point that writing does have the power to enact social change.
In political pieces that deal with current events and issues, there is a lot of information for the reader to take in. There are also a lot of lessons to learn from them. People can not only take the facts from the writings, but they can take social pointers from it. In “The Bombing of Bagdad” by June Jordan, She writes a lot of the tragic things that happened with the Bombing of Bagdad. She discusses the horrible tragedy that it turned into, but she also shows the way it affected people personally. In part of her poem she writes, ‘“We fired them into Iraq, and I am not pleased, I am not very pleased, none of this fits into my notion of "things going very well."’ She is trying to convey a point to the readers that firing and war is necessary in the rebuttal against an opposing force; however it makes her unhappy. In my opinion she is trying to say that war is not the answer. When people read this they should try to oppose violence in their lives and reject war.
“The Bombing of Bagdad” along with many other writings shows this tribute to non violence. It conveys the message to readers that fighting is not the answer to all problems, but unfortunately is the way we in life solve some problems. This poem also showed that history repeats itself because we repeat the same mistakes, and the mistakes may include this violence. This shows the way that writing has the power to enact social change.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Price of a Child
Monica Argenzio
January 29, 2009 1
English 11-1
Mr. Fiorini
English
NIG-NAG
NIG-NAG, a kind-hearted, tender man died after a privileged dinner given by the Quick family to honor his outstanding rescue of Ginnie Pryor, now known as Mercer Gray. Nig-Nag was a noble man who believed in the good of others. He was looked after by Bo-Bo and Jack who took care of him. Nig-Nag’s home however was not much. He lived in a small alley full of filth, but despite all this learned how to be a genuinely considerate person.
He will be missed by good friend Mercer Gray that is free from the captivity and ownership that slavery put her in as well as her family. This could not even be possible, nor occur if it were not for Nig-Nag. He put the family on a carriage to live with Tyree Quick, another friend of Nig-Nag that will miss him as well. The Quick family grew to love Mercer and her family and they took very good care of her and keeping her protected. When it came time for Mercer’s trial for fleeing the Pryor name that she escaped, Nig-Nag was there too. This righteous man kept his word in making sure that Mercer and her family was safe, even if that meant endangering his very own life. When Mercer was free to leave the trial free, Jackson Pryor who originally owned Mercer and her family was not pleased with this man to which we honor on this day. He wanted him and the other participants in Mercer’s freedom to be punished.
Nig-Nag suffered a death due to good and well being of another’s life at heart. Mercer Grey and her family will always remember Nig-Nag in their hearts. The quick family also will cherish his graciousness. “Love might be as strong as death, but who of the sparse group of assembled mourners had loved this pitiful young man?” Words said by Mercer Grey at the thought that this man is no longer with us and has no family or close ones to mourn, but she knew how great of a person he was and wishes he had relatives to honor his life on earth.
The service for Nig-Nag was held in Ephriam’s church, and was buried in a lower class cemetery, although there was nothing low class about this man’s heart and soul. Nig-Nag will be remembered fondly by those who shared his heart through his life on earth, and may he rest in peace.
January 29, 2009 1
English 11-1
Mr. Fiorini
English
NIG-NAG
NIG-NAG, a kind-hearted, tender man died after a privileged dinner given by the Quick family to honor his outstanding rescue of Ginnie Pryor, now known as Mercer Gray. Nig-Nag was a noble man who believed in the good of others. He was looked after by Bo-Bo and Jack who took care of him. Nig-Nag’s home however was not much. He lived in a small alley full of filth, but despite all this learned how to be a genuinely considerate person.
He will be missed by good friend Mercer Gray that is free from the captivity and ownership that slavery put her in as well as her family. This could not even be possible, nor occur if it were not for Nig-Nag. He put the family on a carriage to live with Tyree Quick, another friend of Nig-Nag that will miss him as well. The Quick family grew to love Mercer and her family and they took very good care of her and keeping her protected. When it came time for Mercer’s trial for fleeing the Pryor name that she escaped, Nig-Nag was there too. This righteous man kept his word in making sure that Mercer and her family was safe, even if that meant endangering his very own life. When Mercer was free to leave the trial free, Jackson Pryor who originally owned Mercer and her family was not pleased with this man to which we honor on this day. He wanted him and the other participants in Mercer’s freedom to be punished.
Nig-Nag suffered a death due to good and well being of another’s life at heart. Mercer Grey and her family will always remember Nig-Nag in their hearts. The quick family also will cherish his graciousness. “Love might be as strong as death, but who of the sparse group of assembled mourners had loved this pitiful young man?” Words said by Mercer Grey at the thought that this man is no longer with us and has no family or close ones to mourn, but she knew how great of a person he was and wishes he had relatives to honor his life on earth.
The service for Nig-Nag was held in Ephriam’s church, and was buried in a lower class cemetery, although there was nothing low class about this man’s heart and soul. Nig-Nag will be remembered fondly by those who shared his heart through his life on earth, and may he rest in peace.
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